De Wardes

Also known as: M. de Wardes / Monsieur le Comte de Wardes / the marquis · Family: French nobility · Role: young nobleman · First appears: Chapter 6

In chapter 6, De Wardes is a friend of De Guiche but a rival of Raoul, whose nature seems opposed to his from the beginning. He speaks contemptuously of D’Artagnan’s advancement, and by chapter 7 he explains that his hatred of M. d’Artagnan was inherited from his father: “as forming part of my inheritance, I regard it as a particular legacy bestowed upon me.” He travels with De Guiche and Raoul on the escort to bring the young princess to Paris, but at Le Havre Raoul rebukes him for treating the honor of queens and princesses lightly. De Guiche also tells him, “De Wardes, you are wrong.”

In chapter 12, Buckingham challenges De Wardes over his insult to D’Artagnan, while Raoul tells him where D’Artagnan can be found and insists that he face him before settling their own quarrel. Raoul accepts the insult but then defeats De Wardes in a sword fight, disarms him, and throws him across the barrier. In 1626, after D’Artagnan publicly confesses the dishonorable act behind the old feud, De Wardes apologizes to Raoul for insulting his mother and ancestry. He then accepts Buckingham’s challenge to fight at Calais, while Manicamp remains his friend and companion; De Wardes names Manicamp and De Guiche as “two of my friends.”

At chapter 29, De Wardes and Buckingham travel together in harmony before fighting with swords on the tidal island. Buckingham wounds him through the breast, but rescues him from the rising tide and orders his sailors to secure De Wardes first. At Calais in chapter 44, an urgent letter from De Wardes reaches Chevalier de Lorraine, who waits for him and is surprised by the letter’s account of the sword-thrust. De Wardes is also named among Monsieur’s double-dealing advisers.